Cascadia nuttallii
Nuttall's saxifrage
no rights reserved · CC0
Family: Saxifragaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1
Cascadia nuttallii (Nuttall's saxifrage) is a native California herb in the Saxifragaceae family, recognized by Monotypic genus of Pacific Northwest cliff specialists reaching southern limit in California.
Nuttall's saxifrage is a rare (CNPS 2B.1) California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges in Del Norte County, growing on wet, shaded cliffs and ledges at elevations below 700 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces delicate white flowers 3 to 6 millimeters long in small racemes or panicles. Growing with trailing stems 5 to 25 centimeters long, it spreads along rocky surfaces with a slender underground rhizome. Its leaves are distinctively positioned along the stem's middle, with obovate to elliptic blades 3 to 20 millimeters long, typically three-lobed but occasionally entire near the stem's tip. The plant produces a capsule fruit containing spiny seeds, characteristic of its saxifrage lineage.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Monotypic genus of Pacific Northwest cliff specialists reaching southern limit in California
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet, shaded cliffs, ledges
Elevation: < 700 m
California counties: Del Norte
Outside California: sporadically to Washington
Bloom period
Cascadia nuttallii blooms Apr-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.1
How to tell it apart
vs Lithophragma: Cascadia has trailing stems with no basal leaves; Lithophragma has erect stems with basal leaf cluster.; vs Tiarella: Cascadia trails with evenly-spaced leaves; Tiarella grows upright from basal leaf cluster.; vs Tellima: Cascadia has trailing stems and spiny seeds; Tellima has erect stems and smooth seeds.; vs Saxifragopsis: Cascadia has evenly-spaced stem leaves; Saxifragopsis has basal leaves with deciduous blades.; vs Saxifraga: Cascadia has no basal leaves and spiny seeds; Saxifraga has basal leaves and papillate seeds.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cascadia nuttallii native to California?
Yes. Cascadia nuttallii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cascadia nuttallii bloom?
Cascadia nuttallii blooms Apr-May.
Where in California does Cascadia nuttallii grow?
Cascadia nuttallii occurs in Del Norte, at elevations of < 700 m.
What plant family does Cascadia nuttallii belong to?
Cascadia nuttallii is in the Saxifragaceae family, genus Cascadia.
Is Cascadia nuttallii rare or endangered?
Cascadia nuttallii carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.1, state rank S1.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.